Tungett was also ordered to attend a drug aftercare program, pay a $250 fine and a $25 special assessment. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office. In That political committee received numerous contributions from the SEIU California's political arm, according to campaign finance filings. ), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $18,100. On On August 27, September 1, September 3, and September 29, 2009, Six former officials of Teamsters 743 (located in Chicago, Ill.) were sentenced in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in connection with their roles in rigging the unions 2004 officer election and its rerun. .agency-blurb-container .agency_blurb.background--light { padding: 0; } Or you can peruse the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) Annual Report, which highlights the most significant enforcement actions against union officers and employees each year. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office. On March 23, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Robert Walston, former President of Teamsters Local 743 (located in Chicago, Ill.), pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, theft from a labor organization and one count of embezzlement of property and other assets of a labor organization in connection with his role in rigging the 2004 elections of union officers. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office. ), was sentenced to five years probation, with a special condition of home detention for the first six months, and ordered to pay restitution of $16,228.38 and a special assessment of $100. The Sacramento Bee first reported the charges and her resignation. Brown, former Business Manager of Plumbers Local 237 (formerly located in Texarkana, Texas), was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay $100 mandatory special assessment and remaining restitution in the amount of $4,942. On May 27, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Wendy Bentzen, former information/financial manager for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 72 (located in Jefferson City, Mo. On April 28, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, William I. On June 10, 2009, Woods had pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,988.86 and one count of falsifying union records. They also said that labor unions operate on shoestring budgets and often lack resources needed to provide oversight. The plea and sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office. On February 5, 2009, Harris had pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds. On October 29, 2009, in the County Court of Hale County, Texas, Rudy Villa Jr., former Treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2771 (located in Plainview, Texas), was indicted on felony theft charges. Williams was charged in a criminal information, which means a guilty plea is expected. An OLMS investigation concluded that Elsezy created and cashed checks totaling $44,316.58, drawn from the unions bank account for personal use. All orders for restitution payments are to be paid jointly and severally. ), were indicted on a combined total of 199 counts of wire fraud. Hinerman was indicted on 65 counts of wire fraud, Boyles was indicted on 61 counts of wire fraud and 1 count of worker's compensation fraud and Cassidy was indicted on 73 counts of wire fraud. We had our union president build a big elaborate house with materials, money and labor through our union. SACRAMENTO (AP) The top staff member at California's largest labor union has resigned after she and her husband were charged with felonies including tax fraud. pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling over $5,000. On May 6, 2009, in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Joseph Michael Johnson, former Secretary-Treasurer of Boilermakers Union Lodge 687 (located in Charleston Heights, S.C.), was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, three years supervised release and was ordered to pay a $100 fine. On June 9, 2008, the Department of Labor informed Kupau of his prohibition from serving as a union official for a period of 13 years. Montgomery had previously made restitution in the amount of $14,340. Even more astounding is that in many of these cases several people are part of the situation with embezzlement rather than just one person. On February 19, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, an information was filed charging Audrea Ann Jimenez, former secretary/bookkeeper of Carpenters Local 262 (located in San Jose, Calif.), with one count of false entry in or willful concealment of books and records. Federal records for 2017 show a handful ofsmaller losses to UAW locals: Federal records for 2016 document these losses to UAW locals: Preventing embezzlement is nearly impossible, so decisive action must be taken when it arises, said Harley Shaiken, a professor at the University of California-Berkeley who specializes in labor and the global economy. On December 10, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Karen Snelling, former Treasurer of Communication Workers Local 34014 (located in Gary, Ind. On Dec. 5, a former president in Danville, Ill., was indicted for embezzling $19,482. Have a question about Government Services? On April 9, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Carl W. White, former Treasurer of IATSE Local251 (located in Madison, Wis.), was sentenced to twelve months and one day imprisonment plus three years supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $96,088 and a $100 criminal assessment penalty. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office. On September 10, 2008, Johnson was charged with embezzling union funds in the same amount. On March 30, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, Steven Snyder, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 5724 (located in Clarington, Ohio), was sentenced to five months incarceration after pleading guilty to embezzling $78,893.47 in union strike fund benefits. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office. The Detroit Free Press report said individual cases compiled by the OLMS last year cite theft and fraud ranging from $1,051 to a staggering $6.5 million. Itsfounding pastor is accused of stealing up to $5 million afteraudits and reviewsin the summer of 2017. In addition to the UAW, federal records show the biggest embezzlement cases resulting in criminal charges during the past decade have unfolded in the court system over the past threeyears: Embezzlement cases are often discovered by unions or during routine audits. On May 6, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Audrea Ann Jimenez, former secretary/bookkeeper of Carpenters Local 262 (located in San Jose, Calif.), pled guilty to one count of making a false entry in or willful concealment of books and records. Local 598 (located in Huntsville, Ala.), was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,690. Corruption undermines the very soul of unions. Following his plea, Baker paid restitution in the amount of $16,050. On October 22, 2009, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Darryl D. Becker, former Financial Secretary of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 558-11 (located in McPherson, Kan.) was fined $500 and placed on probation for one year. On September 24, 2009, Wuest pled guilty to a charge of concealment or destruction of union records. The case follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office. On July 9, 2009, Olson pled guilty to one count of making a false entry in books and records. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The pleas follow a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. div#block-eoguidanceviewheader .dol-alerts p {padding: 0;margin: 0;} ), was charged with one count of larceny over $250, relating to the taking of union funds in the amount of $24,795.The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office and the Massachusetts State Police. On May 2, 2003, the Department of Labor informed Martin of his prohibition from serving as a union official for a period of 13 years. On May 27, 2009, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Daryl D. Becker, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 558 (located in McPherson, Kan.), was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office. The site is secure. ), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $7,468.19. He and his union gang (they referred to themselves as the Perry Crew) would shake down employers and pocket the payments that were supposed to go to the union benefit fund. On November 16, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Michael Rhoades, former Secretary Treasurer of Communications Workers The complaint alleges she directed nearly $12,000 in campaign money to her husband for campaign food services that he never provided. The final of four charged in connection with the theft of $200,000 from a bank in Houston and allegedly transferred to New York has turned herself in to authorities, A 38-year-old resident of Richmond has been charged for operating as a money mule as part of her involvement in a nationwide romance fraud scheme, A 61-year-old man has been sent to federal prison following his conviction of money laundering as well as conspiracy to commit and committing wire fraud, Southern District of Texas ), pled guilty to one count of theft over $500 for stealing $5,686 from the union. The criminal charge is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. On October 9, 2008, Bruno was charged with embezzling union funds, between March 2004 and March 2006, in the same amount. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. On September 25, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Fawne Lei-Petersen, former office manager of Painters Local 300 (located in Seattle, Wash.), was sentenced to 3 months in prison, 7 months of home confinement, and 36 months of supervised release. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office. On February 6, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, George Ortiz, former New York City Department of Education School Bus Inspector, pled guilty to extorting and accepting bribes in a program receiving federal funds. The charge follows and investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Office. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. On June 3, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Keith W. Hart, Jr., former Financial Secretary of Bakery Workers (BCTGM) Local 315G (formerly located in Mt.